Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-09
SERVED HIS TIME.
Peter e. Stevens, a Murderer
Released from Prison
Walls.
Murdered Beautiful Mamie Stevens
---Shot Her when She Denied
She was His Wife

~
Celebrated cases in the annals of crime at
Chicago, has been recalled by the release
of Peter I. Stevens from within the walls
of the Joliet penitentiary, where for eight
a cell for the murder of the beautiful
Mamie Stevens at Chicago in 1878. He
was released after paying the full penalty
of the judgment of fourteen years, less
his s'good time" which amounted to five
years and three months. During his long
confinement Stevens has been q most ex-
emplary prisoner, paying the closest at
tention to order, rule and duty.
Stevens passed through and GU beyond
the heavy iron door, which has so long
shut him in, with an easy step and a
cheerful good-by to all, inc a happy smile
ON his face. He shows strikingly the re-
suit of eight long years of contrition and
imprisonment. He has undoubtedly suf-
fered greatly in mind since the fearful
tragedy, and the melancholy causes lead
ing up to it have SO preyed upon him that
his mental anguish is plainly observable
upon his countenance.
The case of Peter E. Stevens and the
murder Of his wife was a highly sensa-
tional one, and is celebrated as one of the
most thrilling N dramatic that ever
came before the Chicago courts. Almost
from their wedding day the joint troub-
les of the pair commenced. Jealousy and
hot temper in the man and Irritation and
folly in the wonan were the warning ele-
ments which led to the tragedy. Stevens
was for three years clerk in the superior
court at Chicago, and while in that ca
pacity met the woman whom he married.
Her name was Mamie Young, and she
was but 10 years of age, and very pretty.
The beginning of the trouble was the dis
coyery by Stevens of some letters adj
dressed to Mamie Young, not to Mamie
Stevens. After this the remaining three
years of their married life were sorry
ones, indeed.
After a time of troubles and trials,
during which Stevens wife became ac-
quainted with evil associates, and carried
on extensive firtations in an alarming
manner, Stevens resolved to take her
from Chicago, and with that end in view
went to Cincinnati. The lifa in Cincin-
natl was no improvement on the Chicago
experience, and frequent jealous quarrels
took place.
Onsa, during his wife's absence, Stew
ems rifed her trunk and stumbled upon a
package of perfumed letters which term
mated the fate of two lives. The diseoy-
cry was followed by a most violent out
Eburst of temper on the part of the hush
and, and a promise of reformation ON the
part of the wife. After numerous seper-
atoms, reunitings and recopcilliations,
the pair finally returned to Chicago.
where the woman left her husband, but
visited him occasionally.
In the afternoon of the Sunday of the
tragedy Stevens met a friend who had
kindly consented to play spy en- the wife,
and he told the husband such astounding
tales that drove him wild with jealousy.
Hot with passion Stevens hurried to his
mother-in-law's house. He was armed,
and wild with rage. He saw his wife
leave the house and followed her.
Att O'Clock in the evening he met her
in Jefferson park with a young man I'M
known to him. Hot words ensued, dur.
ing which the woman denied that Stew
ems was her husband. Going from the
park to his mother-iE-law's house the in
furiated husband sat on a curb stone, and
awaited his wife's coming. Finally she
approached with two companions. Stey.
ems arose and said he wanted to have q
talk with her. More hot words passed,
when Stevens drew his revolver and shot
her He run a few steps, and returning
fired another shot into her body as she
lay in the gutter.
After q trial lasting for more than three
weeks, in which the theory of insanity
was advanced by the defense, of which
Emory A. Storrs was a member, the case
was given to the jury, who deliberated
twenty hours before coming to a verdict.
They stood all along seven for acquittal
to five for conviction, and finally came to
an agreed verdict of fourteen years i'm
prisonment. All the morning the court
room and corridors had been thronged
with a curious crowd, that came and
went at intervals. The judge and states
attorney were there too, and there also
was the silent figure of Mrs. Young,
mother of the murdered girl, more deeply
yelled than usual. Stevens drew a great
breath of relief when the verdict was
read. Mrs. Young trembled violently,
bat little attention was paid to her, as
she set back neal the rail, where she had
passed the three long weeks of the trial.
A bailif escorted Stevens toward the
entrance to take him back to the Jail.
Just then, with a noiseless, cat-like step,
swift and unnoticed, Mrs. Young, the
mother of the wife Stevens had slain, ap.
preached the retreating bailiff and pris-
oner. In a second a tiny revolver was
cleaning at the back of Stevens head,
and click went the hammer, but the
mothers vengeance miscaTried; the cart
ridge did not explode.
A Nice Lo of Rufians.
EAST SAGINAW, Mich, Aug. S.-The
people in the township of Tain,opth, tb,s